BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 shows a computer desktop with a window of an application according to the invention.
FIG. 2 shows the window of the application with a browse page being displayed.
FIG. 3 shows the window of the application with a flirts page being displayed.
FIG. 4 shows the window of the application with an email page being displayed.
FIG. 5 shows the window of the application with a search page being displayed.
FIG. 6 shows the window of the application with a settings page being displayed.
FIG. 7 shows a computer desktop with a web browser displaying a webpage of an online dating database according to the prior art.
FIG. 8 is a window showing a detailed profile window.
FIG. 9 shows a send flirt window.
FIG. 10 shows a chat window.
FIG. 11 shows an incoming email window.
FIG. 12 shows an outgoing email window.
FIG. 13 shows a popup alert.
FIG. 14 shows the window of the application with a sent email page on top.
FIG. 15 shows a sent email window.
FIG. 16 shows the window of the application with a flirt approval page on top.
FIG. 17 is a schematic drawing of a computer network according to the invention.
FIG. 18 shows the window of the application with the browse page on top and with a popup profile being shown.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a computer desktop 1, which is typical of computer operating systems with graphical user interfaces such as those sold under the trademark WINDOWS®. The computer desktop 1 includes a taskbar 2 for switching between applications that are running. A system tray 3 is located in the taskbar 2 by default at the bottom right of the computer desktop 1. The system tray 4 contains miniature icons 200 for easy access to system functions. Double clicking on a miniature icon 200 allows a view and access to details application settings and controls. Desktop shortcuts 3 are icons on the computer desktop 1 that can be double-clicked to launch associated applications and documents. In FIG. 1, the window 100 is not drawn to proportion with the computer desktop 1. As discussed below, to allow passive browsing, the window 100 is preferably much smaller on the computer desktop 1 than what is shown.
FIG. 17 shows a preferred embodiment of a network used in conjunction with the application according to the invention. An online dating database 400 is hosted on a computer server. The online dating database 400 is connected to a web server 401. The web server 401 receives incoming requests from clients and transmits data to clients 403. The web server 401 runs applications for maintaining and search the online dating database. The web server 401 is connected by a computer network, preferably the Internet, to client computers 403. The client computers 403 are running client software, most preferably, the WINDOWS operating system.
A window 100 of an application according to the invention is on the lower right of the computer desktop 1. The window 100 has a title bar 101. The title bar 101 displays a name of the application, i.e. WEBDATE DESKTOP AGENT. The title bar 101 includes a help button 102 and close button 103. The help button 102 provides a hyperlink to an html-based help file. The close button 103 closes the window 100. The application remains running even though the window 100 has been closed. Within the window 100, a number of pages 109, 125, 131, 141, 151, and 161 exist. Each page has a respective tab 110, 125, 130, 140, 150, and 160. The tabs are always visible within the window 100 and allow a respective page to be brought to the top of the window 100.
The size (i.e. area) of the window 100 in both relative (to the overall computer desktop 1) and absolute terms is a key feature of the invention. In the preferred embodiment, the area of the window consumes less than ten percent of the area of the computer desktop 1. In absolute terms, the window 100 is preferably thirteen centimeters (13 cm) wide and four and one half centimeters (4.5 cm) high.
FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the browse page 111 when the browse page 111 is on top within the window 100. The browse page 111 displays a plurality of summary profiles 127. Each summary profile 127 is a potential match based on criteria entered by the user and transmitted from the online dating database 400. Each summary profile 127 is transferred as data in the form of Extensible Markup Language (XML). Each summary profile 127 includes a thumbnail 111. The thumbnail 111 is a picture of the user whose summary profile 127 is being displayed. The thumbnail 111 can be selected to open a detailed profile window 300. The summary profile 127 also includes, for the user associated with the profile, a username 112, an age 113, a city 114, and a state 115. A flirt button 116 is included below each profile. When selected, the flirt button 116 sends a brief message to the user associated with the profile called a “flirt” by opening a flirt window 260 as shown in FIG. 9. Preferably, the brief message is selected from a group of pre-entered messages like, “I think you are cute,” “I think we could be friends,” etc. by using the flirt dropdown box 261 and then clicking the send button 262. An email button 117 associated with each summary profile 127 is also included on the browse page 125. When selected, the email button 117 opens an email window 190 as shown in FIG. 11. The email window 190 allows an email message to be composed. The email address of the recipient user is not displayed, only the username 193. The web server 401 receives the email message from the application, locates the recipient user's email address from the online dating database 400, and forwards the email message to the recipient user's email address. A chat button 126 is displayed beneath each summary profile 127 when the user associated with the summary profile 127 is online. When the chat button 126 is selected, a chat window 250 as shown in FIG. 10 opens. From the chat window 250, the user may enter text in a message field 251 and then select a send button 252 to send an instant message to the user associated with the respective summary profile 127. The browse page 125 includes an autoscroll switch 118. When the autoscroll switch is set to on, the summary profiles 127 that are currently displayed on the browse page 125 are periodically replaced with different summary profiles 127. The browse page 125 includes the current page number 128 taken out of a total page number 122. To go to a specific page, the user may enter a page number into the page field 121 and select the go to page button 120. The user may manually change the page to next page or the previous page by selecting the next page button 124 and the previous page button 123.
The chat window 250 includes a transcript field 257 to display incoming and outgoing messages. A thumbnail 111 of the member is included. A profile button 253 opens a detailed profile window 300. A webcam button 254 starts a user's webcam. An add member button 255 adds a member to the user's match list. A ban button 256 prevents future messages from being received from the member. A clear chat button 258 clears the transcript field 257.
FIG. 8 shows a detailed profile window 300. The detailed profile window 300 lists the data stored in the online data database 400 that relates to a selected member.
FIG. 3 shows the window 100 of the application when the flirts page 131 has been selected. The flirts page 131 shows summary profiles 127 who have accepted your flirt request or whose flirt requests have been approved by the user. The flirts page 131 also shows summary profiles 127 of users who have sent flirt requests and are pending approval. The summary profiles 127 each include a respective thumbnail 111, username 112, and age 113. An email button 15 beneath each summary profile 127 opens an email window 190 that allows the user to send an email to the user associated with the user profile. If the user associated with the summary profile 127 is online, a chat button 126 is placed beneath the summary profile 127. When pressed, the chat button 126 opens a chat window 250 wherein the two users may communicate in real time with each other. The flirts page 131 includes an approve button 132. The approve button 132 displays a flirts approval page 180.
FIG. 16 shows the flirts approval page 180. The flirts approval page 180 shows summary profiles 127 of users who have sent flirts to the user. Each summary profile 127 includes a thumbnail 111, username 112, and an age 113. Beneath each summary profile 127 is an accept radio button 182 and a decline radio button 183. When the pending flirt requests have been accepted or declined by the user, the user may select a process button 184. When the process button 184 is selected the application sends information to the online dating database 400 to add the profile to the user's flirts list or to delete the profile from the user's pending flirt list. To replace the summary profiles 127 displayed on the pending flirts page 180, with additionally pending profiles, the user may select the previous page button 123 or next page button 124. To return to the flirts page 180, the user selects the view flirt network button 181.
FIG. 4 shows the email page 141, which is on top within the window 100. The email page 141 displays a list of emails received by the user. The email page 141 includes a table with the following columns: from field 146, subject field 147, date sent field 148, and email status field 149. The from field 146 lists the username 112 who sent an email. The subject field 147 lists the subject of the email. The date sent field 148 lists the time and date when the email was sent. The email status field 149 lists the status of the message, i.e. read or unread. When the from field 146 of a given email is hovered over, a thumbnail 111 of the sender appears. Unread emails can be highlighted in a different color to help users identify unread messages. Selecting a message opens an email window 190 as shown in FIG. 11. The email window 190 has a title bar 101 and close button 103. For a selected message, the username who sent the email is displayed in the from field 146. The recipient username (i.e. the user's username) is displayed in the recipient username field 147. A message field 191 displays the text of the message. To reply to the email, the user clicks the reply button 192. Clicking the reply button opens an outgoing email window 210.
FIG. 12 shows the outgoing email window 210. A reply message can be sent by opening the outgoing email window 210. The recipient field 193 is automatically completed. A subject field 147 allows the user to enter a subject for the message. The user enters the body of a message in the message field 191. When completed, the user can select the send button 211 to send the message to the online dating database 400 where it is forwarded to the recipient user.
FIG. 14 shows a sent email page 230. The sent email page 230 is moved to the top of window 100 by selecting the sent email button 145. The sent emails are summarized in a table. The table has the following columns: a recipient field 231, a subject field 147, a date sent field 148, and a status field 149. The total email sent field 232 stores the number of emails that have been sent. When a message is selected, a sent email window 240 opens as shown in FIG. 15. The sent email window 240 includes a recipient filed 146 storing the username of the recipient, a sender field 193 storing the username of the sender, a subject field 147 storing the subject of the email message, and a message field 191 storing the text of the message. The sent email window 240 has a close button 241. When the close button 241 is selected, the sent email window 240 closes.
FIG. 5 shows the window 100 with the search page 151 on top. The search page 151 is moved to the top of the window 100 by selecting the search tab 150. The search page 151 is where a user enters criterion for searching the online dating database 400. The default criterion for the search are taken from the user's profile kept in the online dating database 400. As stated, profiles that match the criterion are displayed on the browse page 109. In the preferred embodiment, the search criteria that can be entered are the following fields: the user gender 152, the gender sought 153, the minimum age 154, the maximum age 155, the zip code 156. Additional filters can be added. For example, the results can be filtered to include only profiles that include photographs by checking the photo only checkbox 157. Likewise, the results can be filtered to include only profiles associated with users who are online by checking the online only checkbox 158. Once the criteria are entered, the user selects the enter button 159.
FIG. 6 shows the window 100 with a settings page 161 on top. To move the settings page 161 to the top of the window 100, the user selects the settings tab 160.
New users of the online dating database 400, who are installing the application for the first time, can create an account from the settings page 161. Selecting the signup button 162 opens a registration webpage of the online dating database 400.
Users with existing accounts with the online dating database 400 can login by entering their username and password into the username field 164 and password field 165, respectively. Checkboxes allow the user to change the settings of the application. The following are checkboxes included in the preferred embodiment: autologin checkbox 166, launch at startup 167, show alerts 168, profile bubble over pictures 169, and auto scrolling 170. A dropbox allows the user to set an autoscrolling time field 171. When the period of time specified in the autoscrolling time field 171 expires, the application replaces the summary profiles 127 in the browse page 109. When the autoscrolling checkbox 170 is unchecked, the browse page 109 is changed by pressing the previous page button 123 and the next page button 124.
Selecting the auto-login checkbox 166 causes the application to automatically login the user into the application without having to enter your username and password every time the application is launched. When a launch at startup checkbox 167 is checked, the application starts automatically whenever the workstation 403 is started.
A show alerts checkbox 168 can be checked to cause the application to create a pop-up alert 220. FIG. 13 shows a popup alert 220. When an email, instant message, or flirt message is forwarded to the application, a popup alert 220 opens. The popup alert 220 includes a from field 146, a view button 221, and a close button 222. Hovering over the from field 146 opens a thumbnail 111. Selecting the view button 221 opens the incoming email window 190 or chat window 250. Selecting the close button 222 dismisses the popup alert 220.
When a profile bubble over profile checkbox 169 is checked on the settings page 161 and a user subsequently is browsing summary profiles 127 on the browse page 125, a bubble 129 opens when the user hovers over a given profile as shown in FIG. 18. The bubble contains more information than the summary profile and allows the user to quickly determine if the user wishes to invite the member to become a match.
The settings page 161 has a view/edit profile button 172. Selecting the view/edit profile button 172 opens a webpage with which the user can view and/or edit the user's profile in the online dating database 400.
A view account settings button 173 is included on the settings page 161. A user changes account settings by selecting the view account settings button 173. The settings that can be changed include email address, zip code, and password.
A status field 175 is included on the settings page 161. The status field 175 describes the status of the application. Typically the status is “logged in” when a user has properly logged into the online dating database 400. The status field 175 displays error messages when the application is unable to login. After successfully logging in, the browse tab 110 becomes activated.
Patent Application
20080010598
